WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.480 --> 00:00:06.040 Hey everybody, thanks for joining us today on Pastor Rick's 2 00:00:06.120 --> 00:00:09.199 Daily Hope. This is the Bible teaching ministry of Rick 3 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:12.960 Warren and today we're closing out our series the Miracle 4 00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:15.720 of Mercy. Rick has shown us how God's mercy can 5 00:00:15.800 --> 00:00:19.679 lift your guilt, heal your wounds, and transform the way 6 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:22.280 you live. If you missed any part of this series, 7 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:25.920 you'll find it on our website pastorick dot com. And 8 00:00:25.960 --> 00:00:28.039 now we're going to wrap up this series with the 9 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:31.719 final part of a message called being an Agent of Mercy. 10 00:00:31.800 --> 00:00:36.000 In the world, hospitality is a lost art today in 11 00:00:36.039 --> 00:00:37.840 our culture. We don't know how to do this. First 12 00:00:37.880 --> 00:00:40.759 we're too busy, and second we're too self centered. We 13 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:44.880 don't know how to just slow down and have hospitality 14 00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:49.159 with people a cup of coffee, inviting people into your 15 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:52.399 home for a meal. You realize how radical that is 16 00:00:52.439 --> 00:00:56.479 today to invite people who you know have you know, 17 00:00:56.679 --> 00:00:58.840 I'm not talking about your close friends. Just invite somebody 18 00:00:58.840 --> 00:01:01.200 to come for dinner. You have never been for dinner. 19 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:06.920 That's pretty unreal. But the Bible over and over emphasizes hospitality. 20 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:11.719 People are hungry for hospitality, and the Bible tells us 21 00:01:11.799 --> 00:01:14.599 in Matthew twenty five that the one thing we will 22 00:01:14.680 --> 00:01:18.079 be judged for at the judgment is how you treated 23 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:21.400 other people. And in that passage in Matthew twenty five, 24 00:01:21.480 --> 00:01:25.280 Jesus says this, I was alone, and you welcomed me, 25 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:28.799 and you showed me hospitality. You brought me in, you 26 00:01:29.159 --> 00:01:31.519 welcomed me. When was the last time you showed anybody 27 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:36.680 a stranger hospitality? I want you to hear Brandon's example 28 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:38.319 of being an agent of mercy. 29 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:39.640 This give him a warm welcome. 30 00:01:46.439 --> 00:01:49.120 Well, hey, settleback. It is a gift to be here 31 00:01:49.159 --> 00:01:49.439 with you. 32 00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:54.799 Years ago, as a small group of young adults, we 33 00:01:54.840 --> 00:01:57.959 had a little New Year's Eve party and invited some 34 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:00.799 friends of friends, some of whom weren't weren't Christians. 35 00:02:01.719 --> 00:02:03.239 Dave was twenty two at the time. 36 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:06.519 He was incredibly sharp when it came to things like 37 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:10.560 philosophy and writing and deep thinking, but he was quite 38 00:02:10.599 --> 00:02:14.080 socially awkward and was lonely as a result. You know 39 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:17.599 those people who sometimes their intelligence gets in the way. 40 00:02:18.680 --> 00:02:22.159 Feeling uncomfortable in social settings, he spent much of his 41 00:02:22.280 --> 00:02:26.560 time alone. Wanted to show some mercy. I invited him 42 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:31.080 to our little New Year's shindig. At the party, Dave 43 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:34.680 thanked me for inviting him, but he admitted with embarrassment 44 00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:37.599 that this was the first time he was ever invited 45 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:40.000 to a party. 46 00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:42.240 Could you imagine that in twenty two. 47 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:44.879 Years of his life, here was a guy who was 48 00:02:44.919 --> 00:02:50.120 completely overlooked by the world around him. No one had 49 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:54.520 ever welcomed him to be a part of their community. Well, 50 00:02:54.599 --> 00:02:57.800 our small group welcomed him in with kindness and love, 51 00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:03.120 which actually completely overwhelmed him. We embraced him, We engaged 52 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:06.520 him in conversations, but we talked to him about things 53 00:03:06.520 --> 00:03:08.560 that he could talk about. 54 00:03:09.400 --> 00:03:10.159 Though Dave was. 55 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:14.400 Deep into Eastern philosophy and religion, our group was quick 56 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:18.599 to be hospitable to his thoughts, overlooking some of those 57 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:23.240 awkward tendencies and celebrating his bravery for taking such a 58 00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:23.759 big step. 59 00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:27.759 Now. That little invitation. 60 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:32.360 Was a catalyst that started a two year process, a 61 00:03:32.439 --> 00:03:38.520 process where hospitality transformed strangers into friends. Dave told me 62 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:42.759 that he had never experienced such kindness from a group 63 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:43.240 of people. 64 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:46.840 We were just listening, smiling, talking, and. 65 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:50.120 He figured that there must be something special going on 66 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:51.960 in this community. 67 00:03:52.879 --> 00:03:53.919 He began to show up. 68 00:03:53.800 --> 00:03:56.919 To our first to our midweek small group Bible study, 69 00:03:57.360 --> 00:04:00.560 and he started by asking questions and even started to 70 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:05.599 find some answers. Sometimes his quietness would turn into you know, 71 00:04:05.639 --> 00:04:11.439 those twenty minute one way conversations, And with each one 72 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:14.039 of those, every time he went into that, the group 73 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:19.720 responded with smiles, with patience, with a listening ear. 74 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:21.959 It was Mercy in action. 75 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:27.199 Now Dave was not yet a Christian, but his worldview 76 00:04:27.240 --> 00:04:32.000 began to be shaped by Jesus' teachings. And it wasn't 77 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:34.959 until Dave joined our small group on one of our 78 00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:38.199 trips to Los Angeles' skid Row that his heart really 79 00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:43.560 came alive. He said, it was weeks of watching us, 80 00:04:44.519 --> 00:04:47.040 our small group, pray for those that are on the 81 00:04:47.079 --> 00:04:50.319 street and handing out bottles of water. It was as 82 00:04:50.360 --> 00:04:52.240 he watched that that he really started to open his 83 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:53.000 heart to Jesus. 84 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:57.160 By his third trip with us to Los. 85 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:02.199 Angeles, Dave was now joining us praying for the street 86 00:05:02.199 --> 00:05:05.120 people in need. He was laying hands on them, and 87 00:05:05.160 --> 00:05:07.040 he was handing out bottles of water. In fact, he 88 00:05:07.079 --> 00:05:09.600 was now the one that was listening to the twenty 89 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:14.480 minute discussion coming coming towards him. 90 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:16.199 Mercy captured Dave slowly. 91 00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:22.000 After two years of warmth and hospitality and kindness and mercy, 92 00:05:22.920 --> 00:05:24.800 Dave handed his life over to Jesus. 93 00:05:25.279 --> 00:05:26.639 He was now on mission. 94 00:05:27.639 --> 00:05:31.240 Now years later, Dave graduated with a bachelor's in theology 95 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:35.319 from a Christian university and is exploring God's call for ministry. 96 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:40.319 This is amazing. Once being a stranger himself, because of 97 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:43.120 the hospitality of this group, he is now an agent 98 00:05:43.399 --> 00:05:46.160 of mercy in the mission of hospitality. 99 00:05:46.680 --> 00:05:48.199 That is a miracle of mercy. 100 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:58.759 Thanks Number five, the fifth way God wants you to 101 00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:01.959 be an agent of mercy. See this week. Look for 102 00:06:02.040 --> 00:06:06.360 people who need a second chance. Oh man, they're all over. 103 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:13.319 Everybody's had failures, everybody's stumbled, everybody's sinned, everybody has flaws, 104 00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:18.000 makes mistakes. And you see people who have failed. Maybe 105 00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:21.759 they've had a failed business, maybe they've had a failed marriage, 106 00:06:22.399 --> 00:06:26.360 maybe they've had a failure in some relationship. And you 107 00:06:26.439 --> 00:06:29.519 need to look for people who need a second chance 108 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:31.959 and show them mercy. One of the ways you know 109 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:33.759 when somebody needs the second chance is off. 110 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:34.759 And they're depressed. 111 00:06:36.040 --> 00:06:39.160 They feel depressed, they feel in despair because they're being 112 00:06:39.319 --> 00:06:42.519 How can I recover from this? I'm too far gone 113 00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:46.000 and they're depressed. And the Bible says in second Corinthians 114 00:06:46.040 --> 00:06:49.759 two seven, when people sin, you should forgive them and 115 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:53.879 you should comfort them so they won't give in to despair. 116 00:06:54.600 --> 00:06:57.399 They don't fall into that slew of despondency, that trap 117 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:01.360 of depression. And giving people a second chance is one 118 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:04.800 of the most powerful ways to show mercy. I want 119 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:06.839 you to hear Matt's example of this. 120 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:17.720 Welcome him a lot, to settleback family. It's good to 121 00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:20.759 see you. So years ago, I was a health and 122 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:24.199 physical education teacher and a coach at a middle school. 123 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:27.439 I shared an office with another PE teacher named Brad, 124 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:31.759 and Brad was a pretty intense guy. In fact, he 125 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:36.120 always seemed angry or frustrated, and actually he was pretty 126 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:39.600 hard on the students and wasn't very liked by the 127 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:43.040 other staff and kind of unfriendly. I once asked him, dude, 128 00:07:43.079 --> 00:07:46.399 why are you so angry, and he replied, I'm just 129 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:50.920 angry with life. Then, when a relationship actually was an 130 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:57.439 engagement that ended, suddenly, Brad became suddenly even more angry 131 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:00.480 and bitter. He felt rejected and his anger then turn 132 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:05.800 to depression and despair. My coworker became so depressed that 133 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:06.639 he couldn't. 134 00:08:06.279 --> 00:08:07.839 Even leave our small office. 135 00:08:08.519 --> 00:08:13.839 In fact, he was completely incapacitated by depression. Bra I 136 00:08:13.879 --> 00:08:16.000 couldn't get himself to go to the copy room and 137 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:18.800 make copies. He couldn't go to the lunch room just 138 00:08:18.839 --> 00:08:21.879 to simply have lunch. And so this is an opportunity 139 00:08:21.959 --> 00:08:24.399 for mercy. And seeing an opportunity for mercy, I started 140 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:27.639 to look for ways to help him overcome his depression. 141 00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:30.079 Since we had done a lot of team teaching, I 142 00:08:30.120 --> 00:08:34.000 started taking his classes and teaching them by myself. Sometimes 143 00:08:34.679 --> 00:08:37.559 I teach both his and my students together, which meant 144 00:08:37.559 --> 00:08:40.720 handling about eighty middle school boys at one time. 145 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:41.679 Yikes. 146 00:08:41.879 --> 00:08:47.679 All right, but my heart broke for Brad, and I 147 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:50.320 look for ways to help him take small steps through 148 00:08:50.360 --> 00:08:53.120 his depression. I would pray with him in our office, 149 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:57.000 and I would bring back lunch to him, make copies 150 00:08:57.000 --> 00:09:00.240 for him. I shared encouraging Bible versus to him in 151 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:02.480 the office, and of course, I invited him to church 152 00:09:02.519 --> 00:09:06.080 with me. About the same time, Brad's mom gave him 153 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:10.279 a book called The Purpose Driven Life, and he had 154 00:09:10.279 --> 00:09:12.720 a fellow football coach that was sharing the same verses 155 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:13.080 with him. 156 00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:13.759 That I was. 157 00:09:15.559 --> 00:09:16.279 In his suppression. 158 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:18.519 Brad stard coming to church with me and listening with 159 00:09:18.600 --> 00:09:22.639 open ears. At church, he found more merciful people, people 160 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:25.919 who loved on him, and he heard the good news 161 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:30.360 that Jesus offered him a second chance and a fresh start. So, 162 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:34.360 surrounded by love, Brad gave his life to Jesus. And 163 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:36.799 So when I first started teaching with such a difficult 164 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:42.000 person like Brad, I wondered why I was there. But 165 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:44.679 now I know why God placed me in that smelly 166 00:09:44.679 --> 00:09:51.879 middle school locker room with a depressed guy. God wanted 167 00:09:51.919 --> 00:10:02.720 me to be Brad's agent of mercy. Thanks, all right, 168 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:03.039 let me. 169 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:04.960 Give you one more, and this one's gonna be hard. 170 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:07.240 It's going to shock you, and I say it. Number six. 171 00:10:08.159 --> 00:10:12.720 Look for people who are rude. That should not be 172 00:10:12.840 --> 00:10:16.080 very hard. Look for people who are rude and be 173 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:20.799 kind to them. That will blow their mind because they 174 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:24.440 expect rudeness to be greeted with rudeness. The Bible says 175 00:10:24.440 --> 00:10:30.000 in First Peter three, verse nine, don't repay evil for evil. 176 00:10:30.039 --> 00:10:31.960 You're not allowed to do that if you call yourself 177 00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:38.440 a Christian. Never retaliate when people insult you. Never never 178 00:10:38.519 --> 00:10:42.159 say unkind things to them when they said unkind things 179 00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:46.399 about you, instead pay them back with a blessing. 180 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:50.639 A blessing what, Yeah, this is. 181 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:53.399 What God wants you to do, and he will bless 182 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:57.039 you for it. If you want God's blessing on your life, 183 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:00.399 you need to learn how to be nice and how 184 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:03.639 to be kind to rude people and not be rude 185 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:06.960 back to them. I want you to hear Sean's story 186 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:08.720 of this. Give him warm, welcome. 187 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:18.679 Hey, Settleback. 188 00:11:20.440 --> 00:11:22.840 Back in two thousand and five, I traveled to the 189 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:25.759 country of Malawi in Africa on a mission trip, and 190 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:29.120 one day our team was in a village ministering to 191 00:11:29.240 --> 00:11:33.559 a group of people, went a very loud and obviously 192 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:36.840 drunk man showed up. I was really trying to intentionally 193 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:40.720 started creating some ruckus and just being a huge distraction 194 00:11:40.840 --> 00:11:46.600 to our group. And his rudeness was clearly disrupting the 195 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:50.240 meeting and something needed to be done to stop him 196 00:11:50.279 --> 00:11:52.279 and to really kind of quiet and calm him down. 197 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:55.360 So I decided to be that person and go over 198 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:59.639 to him and engage with him. Now, usually your first 199 00:11:59.639 --> 00:12:01.840 reaction to an irritating person is what. 200 00:12:04.039 --> 00:12:04.720 Anger. 201 00:12:05.159 --> 00:12:06.279 Maybe that's a little. 202 00:12:06.039 --> 00:12:07.559 Bit of what I felt was just kind of a 203 00:12:07.559 --> 00:12:12.039 little bit of frustration. But I decided in that moment, though, 204 00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:16.279 to treat this man politely, with respect and with mercy. 205 00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:20.399 So I quietly pulled him aside and again talking gently 206 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:24.159 to him. I honestly did not know how he'd react. 207 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:26.799 I really didn't, but I felt compelled to share the 208 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:30.240 good news of Jesus with him in that moment. Now, 209 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:33.480 he was actually kind of rude and mean at first, 210 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:38.720 but I just kept listening and showing him mercy, responding 211 00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:39.840 with kindness. 212 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:40.879 Instead of getting upset. 213 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:44.279 As he felt respected, he started to soften up a 214 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:44.720 little bit. 215 00:12:45.240 --> 00:12:46.440 He confessed that he had a. 216 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:49.879 Drinking problem and that it caused him to do and 217 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:53.879 say some things that he was truly ashamed of, and 218 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:56.360 that it was causing his marriage to fall apart. He 219 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:01.080 felt that his mistakes could not be forgiven even by God, 220 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:04.440 and he admitted that he actually hated himself. 221 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:06.039 Now, all of this came. 222 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:09.480 Out because he felt valued and he felt safe in 223 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:12.639 that conversation with me. Now, in his brokenness, guys, I 224 00:13:12.679 --> 00:13:15.200 remember looking at him and in love, I put my 225 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:17.639 arm on his shoulder and saying. 226 00:13:17.320 --> 00:13:19.120 That you know what we all make mistakes. 227 00:13:19.159 --> 00:13:24.600 We've all fallen short of God's glory, and even even 228 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:27.639 God will forgive us when other people cannot forgive us. 229 00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:31.360 But God, in his mercy loved him deeply. 230 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:34.279 In spite of the mistakes that he's made, and that 231 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:38.200 God would forgive as we know, even the worst offense imaginable. 232 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:41.360 So I encouraged him in those words. Now, guys, it 233 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:45.159 was in that moment that I watched his expression literally change. 234 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:50.279 It went from from being broken and downtrodden to least 235 00:13:50.679 --> 00:13:51.840 feeling hopeful. 236 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:54.919 Now, guys, as I as. 237 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:58.200 I walked away, actually as as I began to share 238 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:00.559 with him the good news of the godspel and the 239 00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:03.159 good news of Jesus, he actually made a decision to 240 00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:07.320 put his faith in trust in Jesus. In that moment, guys, 241 00:14:07.320 --> 00:14:11.960 it was an incredible experience. Now we left, my team left, 242 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:15.480 and we moved moved on to the next ministry outing 243 00:14:15.480 --> 00:14:18.639 that we're doing, and the end of the trip. And 244 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:21.360 fast forward to many years later now, I actually ended 245 00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:25.879 up receiving a call from my dad, and during our conversation, 246 00:14:26.360 --> 00:14:28.960 my dad mentioned to me that he had recently talked 247 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:32.240 to a man and from our church, which whom I 248 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:35.279 had gone on this trip with. Originally, this man had 249 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:40.200 just returned from Malawi himself. In the church that he 250 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:43.039 was serving in in Malawi, he had met the children's 251 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:45.519 pastor of that church, and he had gotten to know 252 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:48.120 that man through the time that he was there in Malawi, 253 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:51.080 and he had a chance to hear the testimony or 254 00:14:51.080 --> 00:14:54.360 here the children's pastor's story, and so the children's pastor 255 00:14:54.360 --> 00:14:56.440 began to share with him, and the man said this. 256 00:14:56.519 --> 00:14:59.799 He said, well, I used to be the village drunk. 257 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:04.360 I was abusive to my wife and kids, and I was. 258 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:06.840 The outcast of the village. 259 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:11.279 But one day, while an American mission group was here, 260 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:13.600 I tried to break up their meeting. And while I 261 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:17.440 was drunk, I was being rude and obnoxious, doing everything 262 00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:21.279 I could to cause them to be distracted. But this 263 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:23.519 young guy he pulled me away. He pulled me to 264 00:15:23.559 --> 00:15:27.279 the side, and he kindly listened to me. 265 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:29.720 I was mean to him at first, but. 266 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:31.759 He kept being kind to me, so I listened to 267 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:34.600 him all the more because of the way he treated me. 268 00:15:34.840 --> 00:15:38.679 My heart softened, and he led me to Jesus. That 269 00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:40.080 changed everything. 270 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:44.080 And today I serve as the pastor of children in 271 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:49.279 our church. That guy who showed me kindness, his name 272 00:15:49.320 --> 00:15:52.559 was Sean Guys. Of course, in that moment, I'm hearing 273 00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:55.279 my dad tell me the story and I'm just weeping uncontrollably, 274 00:15:55.320 --> 00:15:58.600 and it was such a beautiful moment. But I wonder, 275 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:01.399 I go back to this story in this moment. Wonder, man, 276 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:03.360 what if I would have been rude? What if I 277 00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:07.080 were decide decided to say, you know what, No, he's 278 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:09.360 he's just kind of be that rude and noxious guy, 279 00:16:09.399 --> 00:16:11.759 and I'm gonna I'm not going to show mercy to him. 280 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:13.440 But I made that decision today. 281 00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:16.519 I made that decision that day to extend kindness in 282 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:21.000 mercy to him, and, by God's grace, God use that 283 00:16:21.080 --> 00:16:25.120 moment to change his life forever. 284 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:36.240 Thanks Now, I hope you're inspired. 285 00:16:36.279 --> 00:16:40.720 There's just six normal people in six normal circumstances of life. 286 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:42.679 Being an agent of mercy. 287 00:16:42.840 --> 00:16:43.720 You can do this. 288 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:47.799 You can do these six things, but it will cost you. 289 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:50.240 And let me tell you what it's going to cost you. 290 00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:53.519 If you you start living a lifestyle of mercy, you'll 291 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:55.840 get all kinds of benefits and blessings from it. God 292 00:16:55.879 --> 00:16:58.240 will bless you in amazing ways, but it will cost you. 293 00:16:58.279 --> 00:17:02.840 And what it's going to cost you is time. You 294 00:17:02.919 --> 00:17:05.279 got to be willing to take the time. I got 295 00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:08.039 this email this week, Pastor Rick. The first time I 296 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:11.960 met my neighbor, he told me I will never go 297 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:14.640 to church with you. First thing he said to him, 298 00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:17.480 I will never go to church with you. For the 299 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:19.960 next five years, I looked for ways to witness to 300 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:24.319 my neighbor, but he was definitely not interested, he said. 301 00:17:24.359 --> 00:17:27.680 Then one morning recently, I was late to work. I'm 302 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:30.759 rushing out the door when my neighbor yelled, hey, have 303 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:34.759 you got a minute. Everything in me wanted to say no, 304 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:38.839 I don't, but I could see he was in a 305 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:41.960 bad place. He was in a time of crisis, and 306 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:45.960 in that split second I decided to show mercy and 307 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:49.480 to be even later to work. So we both headed 308 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:53.400 off to Starbucks together. I listened to him for quite 309 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:57.279 a while, but in that Starbucks, my neighbor, who had 310 00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:59.559 insisted that he'd never ever go to church with me, 311 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:03.000 gave his life to Christ. And for five years I 312 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:05.079 tried to make a difference in his life. But it 313 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:09.960 was an act of mercy that opened the door. I 314 00:18:10.039 --> 00:18:13.519 told you in Matthew twenty five. Jesus in that passage says, 315 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:16.319 the one thing you're going to be judged for at 316 00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:21.440 the judgment is how you treated other people. Jesus says 317 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:24.440 in that passage, I was hungry and you fed me. 318 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:27.680 I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was 319 00:18:27.799 --> 00:18:31.359 naked and you clothed me. I was sick and in prison, 320 00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:34.279 and you visited me. And we will say to the 321 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:37.079 Lord Lord, when did we see you naked and clothe you. 322 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:39.200 When did we see you thirsty and give you something 323 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:42.720 to drink? When did you see you hungry and feed you? 324 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:46.720 And Jesus said, and I will send to you inasmuch 325 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:49.119 as you did it under the least of these my brothers, 326 00:18:49.160 --> 00:18:53.200 you did it to me. What we're talking about here 327 00:18:53.400 --> 00:19:00.359 is the essence of Christianity being agents of mercy. Out 328 00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:05.680 as we come to the conclusion of the campaign of mercy, 329 00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:10.119 we're now going to start the lifestyle of mercy. One day, 330 00:19:10.440 --> 00:19:13.880 the Bible says, God is going to reward you for 331 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:17.279 your acts of mercy. I want you to get those rewards. 332 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:19.640 I don't want you to be standing going Sorry, I 333 00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:22.000 was too busy to show mercy. I was too busy 334 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:24.519 to be an agent of mercy. The Bible says in 335 00:19:24.599 --> 00:19:30.319 Hebrews six' ten last, Verse god will not forget the 336 00:19:30.359 --> 00:19:33.160 work that you've done and the love that you've shown 337 00:19:33.240 --> 00:19:38.599 him by caring for and helping other. People let's bow 338 00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:44.240 our heads for. Prayer would you say, This Dear, god 339 00:19:44.279 --> 00:19:48.119 help me to start looking and listening for people's needs around. 340 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:54.480 Me i've been too busy to pay, attention BUT i, 341 00:19:54.599 --> 00:19:57.799 care SO i want to be. Aware help me to 342 00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:00.920 see the needs of people around the, me at, work at, 343 00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:05.640 home at, school in the. Neighborhood And, lord WHEN i 344 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:09.240 come upon, people help me not to be offended by their. 345 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:12.880 Sins help me to remember that love has a way 346 00:20:12.920 --> 00:20:15.759 of not looking at other. Sins to be patient and 347 00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:18.319 make allowance for each other's faults because of our. Love 348 00:20:20.039 --> 00:20:22.720 help me not to expect unbelievers to act like believers 349 00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:26.559 until they. Are and, Then, lord help me to choose 350 00:20:26.599 --> 00:20:30.240 my words, carefully to put a muzzle on my, mouth 351 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:35.319 to not say unkind, things but to only say things 352 00:20:35.319 --> 00:20:38.720 that build people. Up and, Then, lord help me to 353 00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:45.599 value serving and saving people over keeping, Rules to do 354 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:49.480 what matters, Most to see people brought into Your. Kingdom 355 00:20:51.640 --> 00:20:53.559 now just, Say, LORD i want to be an agent 356 00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:57.640 of mercy this. Week help me to look for people 357 00:20:57.720 --> 00:21:01.839 in a crisis and just listen to, them to carry 358 00:21:01.880 --> 00:21:05.880 their burden and fulfill the law Of. Christ, lord help 359 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:08.839 me to look for people with unmet needs and just 360 00:21:09.079 --> 00:21:12.960 offer practical, help to wade right in and help. Out 361 00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:17.960 thank You lord that you've done that with. Me help 362 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:21.720 me to look for people who are grieving and comfort 363 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:26.559 them with the comfort you've given. Me, lord help me 364 00:21:26.599 --> 00:21:28.880 to look for people who need, friends who are, lonely 365 00:21:28.920 --> 00:21:31.720 who are, shy who are on the, edges who are socially, 366 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:35.799 awkward who are, unpopular nobody pays any attention to them 367 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:38.279 at the. Office help me to seek them out and 368 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:42.599 just show, hospitality to be, kind to be, loving to 369 00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:47.680 welcome them, in to invite them to the. Party And, 370 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:50.759 lord help me to find people who are going through 371 00:21:51.559 --> 00:21:56.279 a tough, time a, failure a, scandal a, problem people 372 00:21:56.279 --> 00:22:00.319 who need a second. Chance help me to offer for them, 373 00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:03.799 mercy to be there in their corner when everybody else walks, 374 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:08.440 Out help me to walk. In And, lord help me 375 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:13.480 even with people who are rude to this, week just 376 00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:17.319 instead of being rude back to be kind to, them 377 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:20.519 that your kindness and your mercy might break, through that 378 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:21.440 ultimately they. 379 00:22:21.400 --> 00:22:22.480 Might Find Jesus. 380 00:22:22.599 --> 00:22:27.240 CHRIST i asked you to make me an agent of, 381 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:30.680 mercy AND i humbly pray this In jesus'. 382 00:22:30.759 --> 00:22:30.960 Name. 383 00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:40.200 AMEN i don't know about, you BUT i am encouraged 384 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:43.279 after that. Message and let's keep the encouragement going with 385 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:45.519 a letter from one of our. Listeners Here's. 386 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:47.759 Rick have you ever taken a step of faith with 387 00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:51.240 no idea what's? Next, well with the help Of Daily, 388 00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:55.599 Hope nicole did just. That she wrote this note to. Me, 389 00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:58.599 Hello Pastor, RICK a close friend of mine suggest THAT 390 00:22:58.640 --> 00:23:00.559 i listened To Daily hope for you years. Ago and 391 00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:03.039 WHILE i had faith AND i loved The, LORD i was. 392 00:23:03.160 --> 00:23:07.519 Lost But Daily hope rescued. Me my relationship With jesus 393 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:11.759 grew in ways AND i never knew. Possible soon, baptized 394 00:23:11.799 --> 00:23:14.200 and over the next four, YEARS i grew in boldness 395 00:23:14.200 --> 00:23:16.000 and in faith in The. Lord AND i even left 396 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:19.480 a high powered and high salaried position to follow a, 397 00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:23.480 different purpose driven path with The lord's. Guidance it's been 398 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:26.839 a literal step forward in faith without knowing the next. 399 00:23:26.839 --> 00:23:30.279 Steps certainly not SOMETHING i was capable of years, ago 400 00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:33.960 and Already god is showing me his. Goodness you, know 401 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:37.519